Briony returned to her office to grab her coat and bag, ready to head to the hotel with her colleagues.


    "Mom!"


    Irwin''s voice rang out from the hallway.


    She paused, then stepped outside just in time to see Irwin hurrying toward her.


    But before he could reach her, James intercepted him.


    "Hey, kid, what are you doing here again?" James caught Irwin by the back of his cor. "Who brought you this time?"


    "Dad dropped me off," Irwin replied.


    Dangling by his cor, Irwin looked a little irritated, but he kept hisposure and even greeted James politely, "Mr. Dney, happy Lantern Festival!"


    James blinked, momentarily thrown off.


    What was going on? Since when was this little rascal so well-mannered?


    "Mr. Dney, could you please let go? It''s kind of ufortable when you grab me like that."


    James hesitated, feeling strangely unsettled. For all his suspicion, though, Irwin''s politeness left him no room to scold the boy.


    He released his grip, raising an eyebrow as he asked, "And where''s your dad now?"


    "He had to run off to work," Irwin said dutifully.


    He remembered exactly what Grandma Rosita had told him: Never mention Grandma Rosita in front of Mom. Be on your best behavior, and maybe Mom would start to love him like she used to.


    Irwin''s sudden transformation left James at a loss.


    He turned to Briony. "Well, what do you think?"


    Briony''s gaze fell to thentern Irwin was clutching. "Is that for me?"


    Irwin brightened instantly and thrust thentern toward her. "Of course! Dad and I picked it out together at thentern fair. I thought it was beautiful, and you''d look like a fairy if you took a photo with it!"


    Briony froze.


    Thentern was old-fashioned, ornate-exactly her taste. Every year during the Lantern Festival, she used to make simrnterns by hand. Irwin clearly remembered what she liked.


    Irwin waited anxiously, watching her hesitate. "Don''t you like it, Mom? Did I pick the wrong one?"


    Briony frowned, torn.


    "It''s okay," Irwin said quickly, withdrawing thentern with a hopeful smile. "If you don''t like this one, I can get you another. What kind would you like?"


    There was something so earnest in his eyes that Briony''s resolve wavered. She pressed her lips together, sighed, and finally took thentern from his hands. "Thank you. I do like it."


    Irwin''s face lit up. "I''m d you like it, Mom!"


    James scratched his head, baffled by Irwin''s sudden change of heart.


    But then again, maybe he was reading too much into things. After all, Irwin was


    only five. It felt a bit harsh to judge a little kid so strictly.


    Not that he enjoyed seeing Irwin clinging to Briony, but it was Lantern Festival, and the boy was being so sweet and polite-even James couldn''t bring himself to chase him away.


    Irwin turned to Briony, earnest as ever. "Don''t worry, Mom. Dad said he''ll pick me up after work. I won''t bother you for long."


    Briony''s offer to have James drive Irwin home caught in her throat.


    She stared at Irwin, her brow furrowed, emotions swirling inside her.


    Irwin looked up at her with wide, hopeful eyes, his hands twisting nervously.


    "Mom, I promise I won''t cause trouble for you anymore. Please... don''t send me away, okay?"